"A mage? But- That's-" Kaede sputtered, his mind reeling.
"Impossible? Something out of a fairytale?" Angel teased, a smirk playing on his lips. "You can think that but the mana being you just fought was pretty real right?"
"Mana… what?"
"Mana being." Angel repeated. "The thing that you just fought. A lower level one to be honest, but you and Nova did well holding your own against it all things considered."
"Nova?" Kaede's thoughts flashed back to the boy from the alley. "Is he okay?"
"Quite." Angel said. "Although his ego is a bit bruised…"
"Where did that.. Mana being… come from?" Kaede asked. "And how come it can use magic? Isn't that cheating?"
"It didn't use magic and neither did you."
"What's that purple magic thingy coming out of our hands then?"
"It's called mana. More of an energy than a mystical force. As a mage you can access and utilize this energy."
"Why are we called mages if we don't use magic?" Kaede asked exasperated.
Kaede buried his face in his hands in an attempt to keep it together. A whole new world had just opened up in front of him and Angel had known about it this whole time?
"Why did you never tell me about this?" Kaede demanded, looking up at Angel.
Angel looked at Kaede with that same nonchalant look he always had. Like he hadn't just dropped a gigantic bomb on him.
"What good would it be if I told you and you weren't actually a mage?"
"How did you know I could even be a mage?"
"The circumstances of your birth were quite… interesting."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaede pressed.
"It doesn't really matter right now." Angel brushed off. "Right now what matters is the next steps."
"Next steps? There's more?" Kaede said, reeling.
"Do you want to go back to the orphanage?" Angel asked.
Kaede paused, his heart pounding. What other options did he have?
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"There's a place for you to go," Angel said. "If your foster parents sign off, of course."
"A place? For me?"
"A school. Where you can learn to use mana and become a competent mage."
"There's a place for me out there?"
"There's a place for everyone, Kaede!" Angel said, his grin growing bigger. "Don't worry. If I recommend you, there's no way they can reject you."
Kaede's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? Why?"
"I'm an alumni. It's a great school really! And a small class too so you don't have to worry about too many people. So what do you say?"
Kaede was surprised that Angel had to even ask. Of course he was going to choose this. What other options did he realistically have? Go back to the orphanage and rot away? No way.
"When do I pack my bags?"
***
Kaede was disappointed that the school didn't really look all that special. After hours of traveling through the heart of the forest, he'd expected something more... magical. The sprawling brick building looked ordinary, like any other school. He wasn't sure why there was so much secrecy surrounding it, but he shrugged it off.
He was more worried about the other students. According to Angel they had all been studying here for two years which meant they were already far ahead of Kaede in skill. He didn't want to fall behind.
Convincing his parents to let him go to this school had not been hard at all. After a stern conversation they agreed to let him go. With all the paperwork it took almost a week for the transfer to go through so he was a few days behind the start of the school year.
As he approached the main entrance, a wave of apprehension washed over him. He'd always been the new kid, the outsider. Would it be the same here?
"Don't be too worried!' Angel said. "I was also once the new kid here at this school. Just ignore anybody who gives you a problem."
Kaede rolled his eyes at Angel. He was so oblivious sometimes.
"Oh, and one more thing," Angel added. "Before we go in, don't tell anyone that we know each other from before the alleyway incident."
Kaede paused. "Why?"
Angel scratched his head. "I'd get in trouble with the Mage Council for not telling them about my suspicions about you being a mage. Those old croaks are such sticklers for the rules."
Kaede nodded slowly. "Okay. Let's go in."
Angel pushed open the door, revealing a surprisingly ordinary interior. Kaede started lowering his expectations for the school.
"What are you disappointed there's no magical stuff in here?"
"I was just expecting something more… grand," Kaede admitted.
The school was definitely nice, though. Kaede noticed looking at the gleaming walls and floors.
Angel laughed and led the way. They arrived at the principal's office, where a stern-looking man greeted them.
"Mr. Yunlan, it's truly an honor to meet you!" the principal said, shaking his hand vigorously.
"No need for all that," Angel replied, his voice casual. "Just call me Angel."
The principal turned to Kaede. "I'm Mr. Parker. If you need anything just let me know. It's not everyday that Angel Yunlan recommends someone to this school."
"Thank you." Kaede said a little awkwardly.
"You know, Angel was the best student to come out of this school," Mr. Parker said, his eyes filled with admiration.
"Oh you flatter me!" Angel laughed.
Kaede hoped Mr. Parker didn't think he was some prodigy just because Angel recommended him. He could barely grasp any mana. Ever since Angel had explained things to him he tried gathering mana on his own, but it was no easy task. He was hoping that they'd teach him how to do that here. It would be embarrassing if they were expecting some great student and he couldn't even summon a lick of mana.
"Welcome to Harris School for Mana Arts, Kaede," Mr. Parker said.
"Thanks," Kaede replied, trying to sound confident.
"I'm told you've already met Nova before, so you'll be dorming with him," Mr. Parker said. "He's a bit quiet so he may seem a little off putting at first, but he's a good kid."
Kaede sighed in relief. Even if he didn't actually know Nova he wasn't completely oblivious to every person at the school.
"As for the other students, they're quite competitive, but I'm sure you'll get along with them well," Mr. Parker continued. "And you're not the only transfer student this year."
That was also another relief. If he wasn't the only newbie he could make a quick friend.
"Let's show you around the school, shall we?" Mr. Parker said.
"That's a wonderful idea," Angel agreed. "I haven't been back in ages. It'll be good to see it again."
They got up and started walking around the school. Their first stop was the gym.
"As you can see, this is the gym," Mr. Parker said. "Most of the practical mana classes take place either here or on the field outside."
Kaede peered inside. The gym was impressive, with state-of-the-art equipment and towering ceilings. There were mats lining the walls, and the floor was polished to a mirror finish.
"The gym didn't look this nice when I went here," Angel said. "The Harris family loves their upgrades and innovation."
Kaede couldn't help but be impressed. The school seemed to have everything a student could need.
"Out the door to your left is the way to the dorms," Mr. Parker said. "Since we're a small school, there isn't a curfew, but just know that we don't condone any unsolicited fighting."
Kaede nodded. He was starting to feel a little more at ease. The school might not have been what he expected, but it was definitely a place where he could thrive.
They walked to a staircase leading to the basement.
"That pretty much leads to the boiler room and the janitor's stuff," Mr. Parker explained. "Not much need for you to go down there."
"Upstairs are all the classrooms," Angel continued. "I didn't really care for all the textbook lessons. Although I suppose you'll need them greatly, Kaede."
Kaede had never been a bad student, but he was beginning to think that these classes would be tough for him. He was curious about the lessons. He knew nothing about mana and was eager to learn.
A playful white dog bounded up to them, wagging its tail furiously. The dog's eyes sparkled with intelligence.
"This is the school dog," Mr. Parker said, petting the dog. "She belongs to the janitor and pretty much just roams around. She's practically another student."
The dog jumped up on Angel, licking his face affectionately. Angel laughed and scratched behind her ears.
"She'll watch over you Kaede. So you better give her lots of treats." Angel said.
"Sure." Kaede said, reaching over to pet her.
The four of them headed up the stairs to the classrooms. The halls were unusually quiet, unlike a typical school.
"How small is the class?" Kaede asked.
"There aren't many mages in the world," Mr. Parker explained. "Which is why talented mages like Angel are highly valued. Sometimes we're lucky to get new students every year. This class has thirteen students."
Kaede was a little shocked. It was smaller than he thought. But to be fair he hadn't heard anything about mages or mana before a week ago.
The principal walked Kaede up to the classroom door. "Here we are. Go on in and introduce yourself to everyone!"
Just as Kaede was about to open the door, Angel stopped him.
"You're gonna be fine!" Angel said, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. "And don't forget what I told you outside!"
Kaede nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the door.